Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, in his congratulatory message on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr, reminded Epiphany Dumenko that the OCU can operate only within the state border of Ukraine, writes UOJ.

The head of the Phanar said that he is planning his visit to Kiev in August this year, “to see in close proximity how the devout Orthodox Ukrainian people are blessed and consecrated, communing with the Body of the Lord, without divisions and painful conditions of the recent past.”

“This administrative independence in no way means that we do not care or give up the heavy spiritual responsibility we took upon ourselves when we brought faith and enlightenment to your ancestors. We feel this strong spiritual connection, and we are greatly interested in the development by God’s grace of all our children throughout the universe, ”wrote the head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

On July 28, 2021, the message on behalf of Patriarch Bartholomew was read by Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis) of Chalcedon at the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev.